Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for controlling an access authorisation and/or driving authorisation for a vehicle.
German patent document DE 100 64 546 C 1 discloses a locking system for a motor vehicle in which an access authorisation and a driving authorisation are performed using a controller having communication means. These communication means detect a stationary transmitter and receiver unit on one side in the vehicle and a mobile transmitter and receiver unit in a wireless mobile telephone. In this communication, the controller checks the transmitted data for its access or driving authorisation and makes the corresponding system effective or ineffective in the case of success. The mobile telephone contains a SIM card for its telephonic network operation. In order to apply the locking system quickly and conveniently, the SIM card is both a carrier of the access and driving authorisation data. Furthermore, in the vehicle, a hands-free kit is used that consists of bidirectional near communication working in the GHz range. This telephonic near communication is, at the same time, used for the transmission of the access and/or driving authorisation data.
German patent document DE 10 2011 011 697 A1 disclose, a locking system and a method for controlling an access authorisation or driving authorisation for a vehicle. The locking system comprises a receiver device to receive authorisation data that is able to be securely integrated into the vehicle, a provision device for the provision of the authorisation data, and a control device for the control of an access authorisation and/or a driving authorisation for the vehicle, which is connected to the receiver device. The provision device is integrated into a mobile communication device or a data processing device. From this device, if necessary, authorisation profiles can be created and transferred to other mobile units.
German patent document DE 44 11 451 C 1 of the applicant (U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,550), the complete content of which is included herewith by reference, discloses a vehicle security device having electronic user authorisation coding. The vehicle security device contains an asymmetrical signature method, which only requires storage of secret information on the side of the keys in order to transfer authentication and/or synchronisation information from the keys to the vehicle side in a manner that is very secure against forgery.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to an improved system and an improved method to control an access authorisation and/or driving authorisation for a vehicle.
A system for controlling an access authorisation and/or driving authorisation for a vehicle comprises at least one mobile communication device and a control unit in the vehicle, which receives and checks authorisation data sent from the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device has a data carrier for storing the authorisation data.
According to the invention, the data carrier of the mobile communication device can be implemented both physically as a hardware solution and virtually as a software solution. Therein the data carrier has at least one protected storage region for the storage of the authorisation data, wherein a database server, by means of which the authorisation data is able to be transferred in an encrypted manner to the data carrier, has a data storage authorisation for this protected storage region.
The system as well as a method that is able to be implemented by means of the system for controlling the access authorisation and/or driving authorisation for the vehicle enable a simplified allocation of the access authorisation and/or driving authorisation to different users as only a data carrier in a mobile communication device is required, which has a protected storage region in which the authorisation data which enables the access authorisation and/or driving authorisation, is to be transferred from the database server. This database server is expediently a database server of a manufacturer of the respective vehicle. This simple possibility of the allocation of the access authorisation and/or driving authorisation is very helpful, for example for rental vehicles or company vehicles or for so-called car sharing, and also enables, for example, an uncomplicated temporary user permission for the respective vehicle. Furthermore, an uncomplicated blocking of the access authorisation and/or driving authorisation is also enabled by means of the system, for example in the case of theft of the mobile communication device or of the vehicle. The transfer of the authorisation data from the database server to the data carrier of the mobile communication device can, for example, occur via a normal telecommunication link.
The system provides high security, as a closed security chain is provided for the data transfer from the database server to the data carrier of the mobile communication device and from this to the control unit of the vehicle. In particular, in the case of a data transfer by means of a so-called near field communication method (NFC), a use of an operating system of the mobile communication device for the data transfer from the data carrier of the mobile communication device to the control unit of the vehicle is not required. This also allows, for example, use of a mobile communication device having an empty battery, i.e. the operating system of the mobile communication device is inactive, or which is afflicted with viruses or Trojans, as the mobile communication device has no access to the protected storage region of the data carrier. Furthermore, the data transfer to the control unit of the vehicle can be implemented by means of the near field communication method also by means of a wireless energy transfer from the control unit of the vehicle to the mobile communication device, such that an energy supply by means of an energy source of mobile communication device, i.e. by means of a battery or an accumulator, is also not necessarily required.
The system is, in a simple manner, modularly expandable, by a plurality of data carriers and/or a plurality of vehicles, wherein authorisation data for a vehicle or for several vehicles is able to be stored on each data carrier.
Parts that correspond to one another are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.